LAHORE: Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf. This quote by Rabindranath Tagore sums up the life of a salesgirl who later turned into a refined classical dancer and also struck gold for the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in an international dance competition held in China in 2007.

Zaib Habib is part of the National Performing Arts Group (NPAG) at the PNCA. Her life is a true example of how struggle and determination can make you achieve your dream to shine like a star in the sky of dance deities.

Coming from a humble background, she had a dream to become an experienced dancer. She started to tread a stony path to her career by working as a salesgirl at a shoe shop, initially to meet her expenses. While working, she graduated from the Government Women College, Mint Road.

It was a lovely winter morning in 2006 when through a friend she got an opportunity to appear for an interview at PNCA to become the part of their performing arts group.

“Since my childhood, I had a wish to become an accomplished dancer, so I used to attend dance workshops and learnt dance in my early years from a choreographer, Imran,” Zaib said, adding that when she came to know that the NPAG was looking for permanent dancers, she was excited to avail the chance.

“Since my induction, I have performed in countries such as the US, UK, China, India and Sri Lanka. When I look back, I am really grateful to God and consider myself lucky,” she added.

Zaib idealises Roshan Ara Bokhari as her most favourite choreographer. “The way Ms Bokhari taught us dance at the PNCA was something we would love to learn and grasp since her way of teaching was great and communicative.”

She wishes to teach dance to children at government schools. “In private schools with high fees the facility of a dance teacher is usually available, but in government schools there is no such thing. We have immense talent in our youth so why shouldn’t it be tapped?”

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2016